Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-02

| Wnen nfst discovered. He was hoDerb
bonner. When boy set type In his
! ONCE. He was even hen as deliberate
OF motion and as ref Give in mind as be
is to-day. Mr.. BOnner's advertising
| method was not a cloud-burst which
| attracted mnmentary attention. IL was
| a steady stream OF water pouring from
clear sky for an indefinite period. Before
| six months the stream excited universal
| interest. People wanted TO know whore
1t came{rcm, and what made it. They
boJght,bs family newspaper to ascer-
tain Its source, and Mr.. Bonner quickly
/ became rich. Keen men, who initiated.
but never equslled his quaint advertis-
ing, also waXed wealthy. Others, who
got ia Later, tainted by the wayslde, for
! the novelty of the advertising display was
| soon gone.
Mr.. Bonner spends from four to five
hours day in his sanctum. tits an odd
/ little room; everything seems to be in
! confusion. The chairs are filled with
! piles OF old newspapers, and books and
! magazines are scattered in every corner.
! Engravn2s and photographs recalling
the trumphs and friendships OF past
! years hang on the walls. Bones, models
! OF hoofs. horse Shoes, and other oddities
| suggestive OF a love OF equine speed, are
| IN the room. The editorial desk Is litter
| OF letters ard newspaper clippings,
Horace GreeleI's old Tribune table was
never in worse condition. Nobody but
Mr.. Bonner himself, however, touches
| anything in the room. If he wants any
special article he Iisbes among the litter at
a given spot until he finds it. good sized
safe squats at one end of the room. 1t 10
filed with curiosiJes that have value
! peculiarly delightful To Mr.. Bonner
alone. For instance, it contains The gold
watch that marked Dexter's tirst wonder
full time. The independent secord hand
inc th.af ro.. 10 of a "A a
catch was sprung. and has never been
thrown back to the hour since the horse
dashed under the string. Near <this
watch rests second chro1ometer marx
ing the time of POcahOntas, and the third
recalling the unriva!led achievement of
! the peerless Maud S. How many other
souvenirs of the glorious rast the sale
hides from public view Mr.. Bonner alone
can tell.
The wonderful sums paid to Edward
Everett, Henry Ward Beecber and Fanny
| Fern. have repeatedly been made public.
| These were bv no means the only writers
| to whom Mr.. Bonner paid large salaries.
| Oliver Dyer, stenographer, Tor years
| edited the correspondents column at $50
| a week. After n decade OF this drudgery
| he wrote an article for Psckard's Monthly
entitled "The WIckedest Man in New
/ York" He awoke the next morning and
| found himself famous. With N a years
time Charles A. Dana was paying him
! 800 a week for special reports on the
| sun. Mr.. Bonner opened his eyes.
"Here, Oliver,' he SAID one afternoon,
"IfyOu're worth 800 week to men out
side the Ledger Office, you're certainly
worth that money to the men inside OF it.
! Stick to your "AusWers to Correspond
enLs' hereafter and draw your 800 a
week."
From that day to the present the vet
| eran has retained his easy berth. In
deed, it is said tina since then his salary
| has been raised to more handsome
figure. The late William o. Bartlett tor
years drew salary Of $4,000 year for
writing little editorial articles on moral
subjects for the Ledger. Bonner valned
them for family reading and the circu-
lation of his newspaper proved that his
readers appreciated mis- estimate of their
worth. Mr. Bonner is not only keen
literary critic, but he is an accurate judge
of men. His knowledge of human nature
seems intultive. HIS Jud gment is quick
and decisive. He knows what he warts
and he paws handsomely for it,. No man
can coax hlm to buy what he doesn't
want. He trimmed mis- sails and laid his
newspaper course thirty years ago, and
he has pursued il since then without jIb-
bIng or making a tack. His columns are
never at the service of his friends. He
refuses to grind even the most infinites-
sinai OF aXes. To all such appeals
is adamant. He frequently steels him.
self against his own sympathies IN Derv-
ing himself to refuse such requests.
Between and p. m. MIR. Bonner
upsets his waste paper basket, pulls ON
his avershOes, descends the stairs and
trudges homeward. He walks over to
the Park Place elevated station and rides
to Fifty-eighth street. He lives on this
street, within 200 feet OF Fifth avenue.
Tue house is plain brown stone front,
tour stories high, and without any extra
!, - nings. 1t is substantially but not
meddIly furnished. Bookcases are not
u only filed, bur volu2s are piled upon
me psrlor tables witNlut regard to effect,
Bonner is a plain, matter-of-fHct home
man. lie mas no box at The opera, and
never saw him at the theatre. He gives
no social entertainments, and | don't
think be ever attends any, unless, posi-
bly,, DR. John Halls little donation par
ties. MIR. Bonner's lot on Flty-eighth
street runs through to Filty-seventb
street. His stables are back of the house.
the main entrance being on Firty-seventh
street. He can step from his house to
his stables, however, aud he passes much
Of his time with his horses while at home.
Unlike his sanctum and his house, the
stables are marves OF taste and neaIness.
, He loves his friends as well as he loves
his borses, and his kindness TO both
horses and friends Is proverblal.
AMOS j. CUMMINGS AND BLAKELY HALL.